1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a safety and storage device for use on hand held tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to a safety device that can be attached to a hand tool to enable a user to safely store the safety device, and thus the hand tool, upon a structure such as a timber.
2. Related Art
Hand tools are often used in homes and the construction industry to perform a variety of tasks. Because they are generally portable devices, hand tools have found application in a wide array of projects and can be used in a variety of locations on the job site. While hand tools provide the convenience of portability, temporarily storing a hand tool to free a user's hands to perform additional tasks has proved problematic. For instance, while building a structure, a worker or user may have to alternately measure, saw and nail lumber. When using a saw, a worker will typically put the saw down while measuring or nailing, then pick it up again to perform a cut.
Thus, while the saw or other hand tool can be simply placed upon the ground or some other structure to free a user's hands, this generally requires that the operator interrupt the present task to set the tool down, then retrieve the tool when it is needed again. While some hand tools have been provided with hooks or other devices that allow a user to temporarily “hook” the tool to his or her tool belt instead of setting the tool down, heavy hand tools or power tools cannot be so easily stored, as the user's belt cannot support the heavy load.
An area in which these problems have proved particularly troublesome is in the construction or installation of joists, rafters and trusses. Because this type of work often demands that a builder use a hand-held power saw in elevated locations, temporary storage of the saw becomes even more problematic. Placing or storing the saw upon a nearby structure is difficult and dangerous, as the saw may fall or be knocked off the structure and potentially fall many feet, possibly damaging the saw or injuring a worker below. Thus, having to temporarily set a saw aside not only affects the efficiency of the builder, but creates a dangerous working environment for all workers on the job site.
Some builders, frustrated with attempts to temporarily store a saw on a nearby structure, have taken to forming a cut in the structure and using the cut to temporarily support the saw. This practice not only adds to the time required to store the saw, but it also results in unnecessary and dangerous cuts being formed in important structural elements such as joists or rafters. Not only can important structural elements be weakened by this method, but the resulting storage solution is not reliable, as the saw blade can be easily damaged or the saw can become easily dislodged.